Finishing Hardwood Floors II

Once a hardwood floor has been installed it is time to finish it. You may use a penetrating sealant or a surface finish. A sealant penetrates the pores of the wood floor and protects it from damage. If you plan to stain the wood floor remember that stains work best with raw wood.

Once the penetrating finish as been applied you may like to apply a surface finish layer. There are many different surface finishes available. Read on to know more about the different types of surface finishes available and their properties.

Types of Surface Finishes Available

Polyurethane, urethane, aluminum oxide, wax, epoxy, varnish and lacquer are some of the common surface finishes used to finish hardwood floors. Each one of these has its own pros and cons. In general water based finishes are difficult to find but are less prone to off-gassing. Many homeowners prefer water based finishes for environmental reasons.

• Polyurethane Finish – Polyurethane or PU is one of the most popular finishing choices. It is used not just for hardwood but for a variety of flooring options including cork. It is resistant to moisture and stains. PU finish is also very durable and increases the life of your floor. It is available as high gloss finish or as a matte finish product. Both moisture cured and oil based products are available for use with hardwood floors.
• Urethane Finish – A non yellowing finish that needs an experienced hand for application. Urethane is available as acid cure (Swedish finish) and water based products. The caveat about the water based product being slightly batter when it comes to off-gassing applies to Urethane as well.
• Metal finishes – Aluminum oxide and Titanium oxide are the popular metal finishes available. These modern finishes are longer lasting than other wood finishing products. Aluminum oxide finished floors carry a warranty of more than 20 years. Titanium oxide is even more long lasting.
• Epoxy finishes – Epoxy finishes require careful mixing of polymers for preparing the finish. It therefore requires a professional with experience in handling epoxy under different conditions.
• Wax – The oldest wood finish, it is easy to apply. It is best used in combination with a penetrating wood finish. Wax finish looks beautiful but suffers from a drawback. It forms a very thin layer over the wood floor. With Wax finish it is the wood layer that wears out instead of the finish. The maintenance of a wax finish floor thus requires more effort.
• Shellac – It is a quick drying animal origin product. Lac is produced by Lac insects and is secreted on twigs. Lac is collected by hand cleaned and processed to obtain shellac. It is a quick drying product and multiple coats can be applied on the same day.
• Lacquer – It is made from polymers and nitrocellulose dissolved in solvents. It forms a clear high gloss surface layer over wood. Lacquer is not as resistant to moisture as some other finishing products. Another disadvantage is that it is an explosive mixture and needs to be handled with care.

At Contempo Floor Coverings you can get a free no obligations measurement for your flooring project, choose from a wide range of wood species, styles and finish options. Our professional services are the ideal choice for installing or caring for any floor. You can also get some interesting ideas about home décor and floor appearance from rich collection of room shots.

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